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NAHLN Activities

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Meeting national needs for diagnostic testing for foreign and emerging diseases is a

critical responsibility that requires accuracy and timeliness in testing.

The NAHLN has established and implemented the following founding principles in

order to ensure confidence in diagnostic test results, both domestically and
internationally:

Quality Management Standards: Operating within a quality management

system that meets AAVLD, ISO 17025, or equivalent requirements

Standardized Testing: Using standardized protocols, reference materials, and

equipment in facilities with biosafety/biosecurity levels requisite for testing

performed

Competency of Laboratory Personnel: Establishing and maintaining

competency of laboratory personnel performing testing on behalf of the NAHLN

through training and proficiency testing

Secure Communications: Confirming laboratory participation in electronic

communications and reporting systems established by the NAHLN

Biosafety and Biosecurity: Using facilities with biosafety/biosecurity levels

requisite for testing performed

Laboratory Preparedness: Evaluating preparedness (identify and prioritize

gaps) through scenario testing

Quality Management Standards

All Level 1 and Level 2 NAHLN laboratories must either be accredited by the

American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) or by an

independent third-party accrediting body according to the ISO 17025 standard

covering general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration

laboratories. If a Level 3, Affiliate, or Specialty NAHLN laboratory is not accredited, it

must have a functional quality system in place that is consistent with these ISO

17025 standards. Additionally, these laboratories must be willing to participate in

regular site visits and must be approved by the NAHLN Program Office for

performing testing on behalf of APHIS Veterinary Services.

AAVLD Requirements for Accredited Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratories 

ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Standards 

Standardized Testing

NAHLN SOPs 

(PDF, 226.43 KB)
Get a current list of NAHLN SOPs.

NAHLN SOP Deviation Request Form 

(PDF, 284.24 KB)

Get a copy of the current Deviation Request form and instructions for submitting it

to the NAHLN Program Office.

Diseases Under NAHLN Scope

NAHLN laboratories are trained and proficiency tested, and follow standardized

testing protocols for the following diseases and animal species. For more information

on these diseases and VS surveillance and preparedness activities, visit Livestock

and Poultry Disease.

Disease Animal

Species

Laboratories Approved for

Testing

African Swine Fever Swine Approved NAHLN laboratories

Bovine Spongiform

Encephalopathy Cattle Approved NAHLN laboratories

Chronic Wasting Disease Captive cervids

(deer, elk)

Approved NAHLN laboratories—IHC

Approved NAHLN

laboratories—ELISA

Classical Swine Fever Swine Approved NAHLN laboratories

Newcastle Disease Poultry, wild

birds Approved NAHLN laboratories

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Cattle, swine Approved NAHLN laboratories

Infectious Salmon Anemia Fish Approved NAHLN laboratories

Influenza A Virus in Avian Poultry, wild

birds Approved NAHLN laboratories

Influenza A Virus in Swine Swine Approved NAHLN laboratories

Pseudorabies Virus Swine Approved NAHLN laboratories

Scrapie Sheep, goats Approved NAHLN laboratories

Spring Viremia of Carp Fish Approved NAHLN laboratories

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Horses Approved NAHLN laboratories
Disease Animal

Species

Laboratories Approved for

Testing

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Fish Approved NAHLN laboratories

See More See Less

Other Activities

Competency of Laboratory Personnel: Proficiency Testing and Training

Proficiency Testing

The NAHLN Program Office coordinates with the National Veterinary Services

Laboratories (NVSL) reference laboratories to ensure NAHLN laboratory personnel

are annually trained and proficiency tested. Learn more about NVSL’s proficiency

testing for the diseases listed above or other diseases, or contact NVSL.

Training

Quality Management Systems Training

The NAHLN Program Office collaborates with members of the AAVLD Accreditation

Committee and NVSL personnel to develop and deliver a Quality Management

System (QMS) Training Program for member NAHLN laboratories. This annual

training program, generally held in July or August, provides an interactive class

environment that encompasses training on quality system requirements, including

document control, complaints, corrective actions, equipment, training, internal

audits, and management review. A mock audit workshop also provides the

opportunity for participants to apply what they have learned by conducting an audit

to recognize non-conformances, analyzing root causes of the non-conformances, and

writing corrective actions.

Laboratories around the United States and the world are increasingly aware of the

need for implementing and maintaining effective quality systems. A readily available

source for training on the important concepts and strategies of quality system

implementation and management was needed for laboratory staff around the globe. 
This online course was developed by Washington State University, in conjunction

with the NAHLN and with contributions from multiple NAHLN laboratory quality

managers. This course provides quality system training to laboratories in their own

locations via the Internet or other electronic media. It provides a consistent message

for quality system implementation and management that can be used to train not

only quality related personnel, but all laboratory staff.

Go to the QMS online training course

Additional Training Planned This Year

Train the Trainer Program

Through this program, the NAHLN has increased the number of laboratory personnel

prepared to respond to a national animal health emergency and has provided the

United States with a cadre of trainers available to teach others when needed. The

successful implementation of this program is a significant step for the NAHLN in

achieving its goals of sufficient diagnostic capability and capacity to address an

animal health emergency. Trainings are scheduled on a case-by-case basis, based

on the training need and regional location. 

For more information on this program, contact the NAHLN Program Office.

Previous Training Conducted by the NAHLN Program Office

This document provides historical information on various training activities and

workshops conducted through the NAHLN Program Office.

Secure Communications

NAHLN laboratories play a critical role in APHIS Veterinary Services’ (VS) outbreak

and surveillance testing programs. As such, the ability to securely share information,

data and test results between Federal and non-Federal entities is a high priority for

the NAHLN.

NAHLN Electronic Messaging of Test Results

The NAHLN electronic messaging system was established using international data

and messaging standards so that accurate and consistent diagnostic information
could be quickly and securely transmitted to VS during animal disease outbreaks, or

as part of APHIS surveillance programs or during emerging disease situations. 

For more background on NAHLN messaging, visit NAHLN Information Technology

System.

Preparedness

Exercises and Drills

Another of the NAHLN founding principles is ensuring continuous laboratory

preparedness for animal disease outbreaks and other emergency situations. This is

accomplished by conducting planned and unplanned exercises or other scenariobased drills. 

The NAHLN Exercises and Drills Working Group (NAHLN-EDWG) plays a key role in

the development and implementation of exercises and drills conducted by the

NAHLN. The findings of this working group enhance awareness of the variety of

issues that are encountered during an outbreak and ongoing evaluation for the

NAHLN Coordinating Council. The group provides input on various aspects of NAHLN

exercises and drills, including:

Determining processes for performing NAHLN exercises and drills,

Determining the content and scope of exercises to ensure they address

laboratory preparedness,

Assisting with conducting NAHLN exercises and drills,

Assisting with compiling and distributing distribution of After Action Reports

following NAHLN exercises and drills, and

Assisting with addressing gaps identified by the After Action Reports and in

implementing changes.

Web-Based Exercises

The NAHLN Program Office conducts web-based exercises that provide NAHLN

laboratories and States the opportunity to use and integrate the Laboratory Capacity

Estimation Model (LCEM), the NAHLN Portal, and several other VS tools to exercise

real-time capacity management. The goals of these exercises are to:

Improve the participants' understanding and skill in each individual tool, 
Illustrate how these assets can integrate to provide current, accurate

information on the expected number of samples to be tested under an outbreak

surveillance plan,

Assess individual laboratory and network capacity, and 

Provide a secure mechanism to exchange operational information during an

outbreak.

Tabletop Exercises 

NAHLN, in collaboration with other stakeholder groups, has conducted several

tabletop exercises to help identify gaps when addressing major animal disease

outbreaks. These exercises were designed to practice policy implementation,

decision making, and communications with laboratory, VS, and State field personnel.

Participants gained enhanced awareness of laboratory issues encountered during an

outbreak and assessed the completeness of their response plans. Additional

exercises have been held at the NVSL to increase internal preparedness with focus

on decision making, primary and support role activities, interaction and support of

NAHLN laboratories, collaborations, and communications.

Immediate Response Drills

In preparation for potentially disastrous occurrences such as severe weather or manmade emergencies, the NAHLN Program Office has initiated immediate response

drills to help labs understand what they may see in response to an actual event.

Emails are sent to all NAHLN laboratories that have personnel trained and

proficiency tested to conduct a particular disease assay such as foot-and-mouth

disease (FMD) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The email notifies the laboratories

of the possible closure of the reference laboratories and requests that each lab

provide specific information as soon as possible (within 24 hours of receiving the

email) regarding their immediate capacity based on the availability of reagents,

personnel, equipment, and other parameters. NAHLN laboratories have proven that

the network is very responsive with up to 98 percent of labs responding to these

drills within 24 hours.

Related Links

NAHLN Laboratories
NAHLN Assay Performance Characteristics